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After visiting the curry houses of Europe, especially of London, my late father (Har G. Keswani) was inspired to bring Indian culture and food to New Orleans. Since 1982, the Keswani family has presented the unique cuisine of India to the New Orleans community.

The TANDOOR is a barrel-shaped, pit OVEN made from an amalgam of special clays, oils and natural binding agents. This form of cooking has evolved over the centuries, when the first oven was a hole in the ground, with clay patted on the walls to keep the hole from caving in. The food, whether it be chicken, lamb, fish, or shrimp is marinated for a minimum of twelve hours in a special blend of spices. The food is then skewered and broiled in the hot air of the clay oven. The intense heat sears the meat on the outside, thus locking in the meats own juices, providing for a crisp exterior with a moist and juicy inside, a taste that has not been duplicated by any other oven. As no fats or oils are used in this process, the food is low in calories and is excellent for health conscious people. The only oil used is brushed on butter when the meat comes out of the oven to retain the moistness of the food.

The British, who originally introduced Indian food to the West, became addicted to “curries;” principally for the baffling variety of delectable gravy dishes created by true Indian craftsmen in the kitchen. So much that the British invented the now famous CURRY POWDER. However, true Indian curries, each with its own distinctive aroma, flavor, taste and texture is painstakingly created not from a so-called curry powder, but from a host of imported spices and herbs that are blended from the whole spice to give the individual taste to each dish.

In sharp contrast to the boiled, baked or sautéed vegetables served with Western cuisine, Indian vegetables have a flavor unequaled by any other. A large portion of India’s masses are vegetarian and have therefore developed an exceptional art form in the cooking of vegetables.

Breads – soft, fluffy, crusty, layered, whether plain or stuffed, are cooked on the walls of the tandoori oven. No Indian meal can be complete without the exquisite NAAN, bread made from white flour or a PARATHA, bread made from stone ground whole wheat flour. The stuffed breads are excellent appetizers or as an accompaniment to your meal.

Some additional vegetarian menu dishes can be made Vegan, such as Cholle. Please ask.
All of our meat is boneless and skinless, with the exception of Tandoori Chicken which only has the bone.

Prices as of 2016. Subject to change.

Appetizers

VEGGIE KATHI ROLL$6

Indian version of a veggie wrap served with mint and imli chutney

NIRVANA KATHI ROLL$7

Indian version of a chicken wrap.

ONION (MILD) PAKORA$4.50

lightly bathed in a besan batter and fried

SAMOSA CHAT$7.50

two vegetable samosas covered with curried garbanzos, raita, and chutneys

KHURMI NAAN$4.50

topped with cheese and tomato

BOMBAY WINGS$6

chicken wings marinated and grilled in the Tandoor

RUGDA PATI$4.50

potato cakes topped with curried garbanzos, raita, and chutneys

CHAT PAPRI$4.50

seasoned potatoes and vegetables with crispy wafers

KASHMIRI NAAN (MILD)$3.50

stuffed with cherries and cashews, great for kids

ASSORTED NON-VEGETARIAN FOR 2$13.95

Vegetable Samosa, Chicken Pakora, Seekh Kebab, Bombay Wings

ASSORTED VEGETARIAN FOR 2$10.95

Vegetable Samosa, Onion Pakora, Rugda Pati

MIXED KEBAB PLATTER$13.95

Malai Kebab, Paneer Tikka, and Seenkh Kebab served on sizzler

MIXED VEGGIE PAKORA$4.50

lightly bathed in a besan batter and fried

FRESH SPINACH PAKORA$6

lightly bathed in a besan batter and fried

CHICKEN (MILD) PAKORA$6

lightly bathed in a besan batter and fried

VEGETABLE SAMOSA$5

crispy pastry stuffed with potato and peas served with mint and imli chutney.

FISH MIN CURRY$17.95

CHILI FISH$17.95

FISH PATIA (MILD)$17.95

redfish sautéed in a sweet mango curry

FISH TIKKA MASALA$17.95

redfish in a tomato butter sauce with vegetables

Vegetarian

With so many vegetarians living in one country, and a culture that has embraced vegetarianism for centuries, India has the most sophisticated and ancient vegetarian cuisine of any country. Perfected over many generations, Indian cooking has become famous for its use of spices to exploit the flavor of vegetables and grains.

Nirvana is proud to offer a wide array of vegetarian options, many of which are vegan or can be made vegan by request.